Extensible paint roller frame

ABSTRACT

An extensible paint roller frame has a pair of independent frame units rotatable on a spindle of the paint roller, one of the units being confined against other than rotative motion and the other being supported entirely by the spindle for sliding movement in alternate directions along the unobstructed remaining length of the spindle to vary the effective length of the frame. Freedom from abutments and fasteners on the remaining length of the spindle and elimination of the need for a supporting connection between the two units allows the shiftable unit to be completely removed from the spindle and replaced thereon with ease to facilitate installation of a paint applicator sleeve.

Newman 1 July 17, 1973 EXTENSIBLE PAINT ROLLER FRAME [76] Inventor: Robert D. Newman, 400 Walnut,

Greenwood, Mo.

221 Filed: 1,121,197:

[2]] Appl. No.: 221,339

[52] US. Cl 29/116 R, 15/230, 15/11,

3,113,744 12/1963 Nisenson..... 242/72 Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum Attorney-Schmidt, Johnson, l-lovey & Williams 57 ABSTRACT An extensible paint roller frame has a pair of independent frame units rotatable on a spindle of the paint roller, one of the units being confined against other than rotative motion and the other being supported entirely by the spindle for sliding movement in alternate directions along the unobstructed remaining length of the spindle to vary the effective length of the frame. Freedom from abutments and fasteners on the remaining length of the spindle and elimination of the need for a supporting connection between the two units allows the shiftable unit to be completely removed from the spindle and replaced thereon with ease to facilitate installation of a paint applicator sleeve.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 242/73 [51] Int. Cl. B05c 1/08, B44d 3/28 [58] Field of Search 1'5/27, 230.11, 248 A; 29/1105, 116 R; 242/1185; 401/147, 208, 218, 220

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,229,319 l/l966 Goetzm... 151230.11 2,970,366 2/1961 Gill 15/230.1l X 3,554,659 l/l971 Stokes.... l5/230.ll X 2,675,605 4/1954- Thomas l5/230.ll UX Y I E .5 I r i EXTENSIBLE PAINT ROLLER FRAME This invention relates to an improved paint roller having a frame which may be extended and retracted to change its effective length an amount necessary to adapt the frame for universal support of applicator sleeves of various lengths.

While paint rollers per se are not new in view of their successful use in the past by both professional painters and do-it-yourself handymen, the problem of providing a simple expedient which adapts a single paint roller for universal use with different paint applicator sleeves of various lengths has been largely unresolved. While attempts to provide such a paint roller have been made, to date such efforts have been less that satisfactory for several reasons.

For example, previous paint rollers utilized a pair of rotatable yet relatively shiftable frame cores in which the shiftable core of the pair required the combined support of both the spindle of the roller and of the nonshiftable core. Because of this dependence and resulting connection between the two cores, the shiftable core could not be completely removed from the roller such as to facilitate mounting of a selected applicator sleeve. Other problems included lack of support of the relatively thin-walled sleeve in the areaof the latter encompassing the extended shiftable core permitting in.- ward deflection and/or possible buckling of the sleeve in such area, and limitation of the shiftable core to definite invariable positions in which the extensible core was locked in place such that slight variations in sleeve length could not be accommodated.

Other paint rollers utilized relatively complex and necessarily expensive frameworks in which one of two frame members was rotatably and extensively supported by the other member for movement to an extreme position in which further extension was blocked. The extensible member could only be removed upon disassembly of the extensible member and its attendant blocking structure, thereby greatly hampering installation of an applicator sleeve on the framework. Moreover, the use of outwardly shiftable, inclined fingers on the framework to frictionally retain the selected sleeve further complicated the construction and use of the roller, as well as making the cost thereof prohibitive in many instances for those individuals not requiring the frequent services of a paint roller.

Accordingly, with these problems in mind, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a paint roller havinga sturdy,extensible frame of simplified, yet highly functional design which is capable of accommodating applicator sleeves of several different lengths with ease, yet which is inexpensive to produce and is extremely easy to use and adjust.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an extensible paint roller frame having a pair of mechanically and structurally independent frame units rotatable on a common spindle with one of the units being freely shiftable along the spindle without obstruction from either the spindle or the other unit so that the shiftable unit may be readily disposed in any of a number of selected positions on the spindle or may even be completely removed from and replaced upon the latter with extreme ease.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an extensible paint roller frame which, in addition to being extremely easy to use, non-complex in design and inexpensive to produce, provides an abundance of support for a sleeve on the frame, even those sleeves of greater than normal lengths which require the frame to be in an extended condition.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a paint roller utilizing an extensible frame constructed in accordance with the principles of my present invention, the shiftable unit of the frame being shown in an extended position with the normal retracted position thereof indicated in phantom;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view of the frame;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4' is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

The paint roller 10 is provided at one end with a hollow grip 12 having interior threads 14 for receiving the complementally threaded end of pole 16 which may be used, if needed, to add further reach to the roller 10.

vA solid spindle 18 at the opposite end of roller 10 28 which are interconnected by a series of outwardly bowed rods 30 for rotation in unison on spindle l8. Hubs 32 and 34 of rollers 26 and 28 respectively rotatably mount the same on spindle 18 which extends substantially beyond roller 28, and outwardly projecting retaining nibs 36 on spindle l8 cooperate with retaining washers 38 to confine roller 26 against travel axially of spindle l8. Rollers 26 and 28 are of substantially identical diameters with the outer peripheries thereof coinciding with the outermost regions of rods 30 as shown in FIG. 1. In contrast to roller 28, roller 26 has an outwardly projecting, circumferentially extending lip 40 at'its left end.

Spindle 18 has a completely unobstructed stretch 18a which extends from washers 38 to the outermost free end 42 of spindle 18 to telescopically support the shank 44 of unit 24. In like fashion to unit 22, unit 24 has a pair of rollers 46 and 48 and outwardly bowed rods 50 which interconnect rollers 46 and 48 in spaced relationship. I-Iubs 52 and 54 of rollers 46 and 48 respectively fixedly secure the latter to shank 44 which extends substantially beyond roller 46, and the diameters of rollers 46 and 48 are equal to those of rollers 26 and 28 with roller 48 having a circumferential lip 56 at its right end.

The telescopic relationship between spindle l8 and shank 44 is provided by virtue of the tubular nature of shank 44 and the sliding fit therebetween. As shown best in FIG. 2, hub 34 of roller 28 is enlarged withrespect to spindle 18 a sufficient extent to shiftably accommodate shank 44 when unit 24 is in its normal position abutting unit 22. The outer end wall 58 of roller 48 has an essentially permanent plug 60 which closes an opening which would otherwise be presented by the end of shank 44.

Thus, it should be clear that unit 24 may be freely displaced to any desired position along spindle 18 between the extreme innermost position illustrated in full lines in FIG. 2 and in phantom in FIG. 1, and an extreme outer position in full lines in FIG. 1. This allows frame 20 to accommodate applicator sleeves, such as 62, of many different lengths, instead of requiring the use of a separator roller for each length of sleeve 62. Note particularly that shank 44 is supported entirely by spindle 18 with no connection whatsoever between units 22 and 24. This factor, coupled with the fact that stretch 18a on the exterior of spindle 18 is completely free of all obstructions, means that unit 24 may be complet-ely removed from spindle 18 in addition to being easily positioned at any point along the latter. Thus, installation of a selected sleeve 62 is easily carried out by first removing unit 24, forcing the sleeve 62 over unit 22 until lip 40 abuts the corresponding end of sleeve 62, and then replacing unit 24 by pushing the latter into the open end of sleeve 62 as spindle 18 is received within shank 44 until lip 56 abuts the corresponding outer end of sleeve 62. In this manner, frame may be properly sized to conform exactly to the dimensions of sleeve 62 without guesswork, and without extensive removal and replacement of several fastening components which may be easily misplaced, may become easily over-tightened to frustrate removal thereof, and would necessarily increase the overall cost of the roller. Because of the frictional contact of sleeve 62 with rollers 26 and 28, 46 and 48, and rods 30 and 50, the sleeve 62 is not allowed to rotate relative to frame 20 during use of roller 10, and such frictional contact is sufficient to retain unit 24 against escape from sleeve 62. Moreover, the use of at least two rollers for each unit 22 and 24, along with the attendant bowed rods 30 and 50, assures that sleeve 62, regardless of its length, will be structurally supported to a greater extent than has heretofore been possible with prior extensible paint rollers. Similarly, the substantial projection of spindle l8 beyond roller 28 of unit 22 assures that unit 24 will be supported to a great extent even when unit 24 is fully extended as shown in FIG. 1.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a paint roller having an extensible frame for applicator sleeves of various lengths:

an elongated spindle having an outermost free end; a first frame unit rotatable on said spindle; retainer means on said spindle remote from said free end and confining said first unit against movement axially of the spindle, said spindle having an unobstructed longitudinal stretch thereof extending from its free end inwardly toward said retainer means; and a second frame unit having an elongated shank rotatably and telescopically supported by said unobstructed stretch independently of said first unit for free, uninhibited displacement of the second unit along said stretch from a normal position in which the second unit is proximal to the first unit to any one of a number of other selected position in which the units are spaced apart or in which the second unit is completely removed from the spindle, each of said units including a pair of axially spacedapart, interconnected rollers having outer peripheries disposed for frictionally engaging and retaining a sleeve placed over the units, the two most spaced-apart rollers of said units each having a lip for engaging a corresponding end of the sleeve. 2. The invention as claimed in claim 1, said shank being tubular and slidably receiving said spindle,

said unobstructed stretch being on the exterior of said spindle.

3. The invention as claimed in claim 2,

said first unit having an opening therein for said spindle and enlarged with respect to the latter a sufficient extent to shiftably accommodate said shank during displacement of the second unit in either direction along said stretch.

4. The invention as claimed in claim 1,

said first unit being spaced inwardly from said end of the spindle,

said second unit having a closed end wall outboard of said end and intersecting the axis of said spindle to preclude access to said end when the second unit is on the spindle.

5. In a paint roller having an extensible frame for applicator sleeves of various lengths:

an elongated spindle having an outermost free end;

a first frame unit rotatable on said spindle;

retainer means on said spindle remote from said free end and confining said first unit against movement axially of the spindle,

said spindle having an unobstructed longitudinal stretch thereof extending from its free end inwardly toward said retainer means; and

a second frame unit having an elongated shank rotatably and telescopically supported by said unobstructed stretch independently of said first unit for free, uninhibited displacement of the second unit along said stretch from a normal position in which the second unit is proximal to the first unit to any one of a number of other selected positions in which the units are spaced apart or in which the second unit is completely removed from the spindle,

each of said units including a pair of axially spacedapart, interconnected rollers having outer peripheries disposed for frictionally engaging and retaining a sleeve placed over the units,

the rollers of each unit having central hubs for the spindle and the shank respectively,

the hubs of the first unit rotatably receiving said spindle and those of the second unit fixedly receiving said shank.

6. The invention as claimed in claim 6,

said shank being tubular and slidably receiving said spindle,

said unobstructed stretch being on the exterior of said spindle.

7. The invention as claimed in claim 7,

the roller of the first unit which is nearest said end of the spindle having the opening in its hub enlarged with respect to said spindle a sufficient extent to shiftably accommodate said shank between said hub and the spindle.

8. The invention as claimed in claim 1,

said shank extending substantially beyond the rollers of the second unit for disposition within said first unit when said second unit is in the normal position thereof,

said unobstructed stretch extending into said first unit at least to the point at which the extremity of said shank is located when said second unit is in said normal position.

9. The invention as claimed in claim 9,

said first unit being spaced inwardly from said free end of the spindle whereby said shank may be shifted from disposition within said first unit when the second unit is in its normal position to disposition outside of the first unit when the second unit is displaced out of said normal position.

4 i i i i 

1. In a paint roller having an extensible frame for applicator sleeves of various lengths: an elongated spindle having an outermost free end; a first frame unit rotatable on said spindle; retainer means on said spindle remote from said free end and confining said first unit against movement axially of the spindle, said spindle having an unobstructed longitudinal stretch thereof extending from its free end inwardly toward said retainer means; and a second frame unit having an elongated shank rotatably and telescopically supported by said unobstructed stretch independently of said first unit for free, uninhibited displacement of the second unit along said stretch from a normal position in which the second unit is proximal to the first unit to any one of a number of other selected position in which the units are spaced apart or in which the second unit is completely removed from the spindle, each of said units including a pair of axially spaced-apart, interconnected rollers having outer peripheries disposed for frictionally engaging and retaining a sleeve placed over the units, the two most spaced-apart rollers of said units each having a lip for engaging a corresponding end of the sleeve.
 2. The invention as claimed in claim 1, said shank being tubular and slidably receiving said spindle, said unobstructed stretch being on the exterior of said spindle.
 3. The invention as claimed in claim 2, said first unit having an opening therein for said spindle and enlarged with respect to the latter a sufficient extent to shiftably accommodate said shank during displacement of the second unit in either direction along said stretch.
 4. The invention as claimed in claim 1, said first unit being spaced inwardly from said end of the spindle, said second unit having a closed end wall outboard of said end and intersecting the axis of sAid spindle to preclude access to said end when the second unit is on the spindle.
 5. In a paint roller having an extensible frame for applicator sleeves of various lengths: an elongated spindle having an outermost free end; a first frame unit rotatable on said spindle; retainer means on said spindle remote from said free end and confining said first unit against movement axially of the spindle, said spindle having an unobstructed longitudinal stretch thereof extending from its free end inwardly toward said retainer means; and a second frame unit having an elongated shank rotatably and telescopically supported by said unobstructed stretch independently of said first unit for free, uninhibited displacement of the second unit along said stretch from a normal position in which the second unit is proximal to the first unit to any one of a number of other selected positions in which the units are spaced apart or in which the second unit is completely removed from the spindle, each of said units including a pair of axially spaced-apart, interconnected rollers having outer peripheries disposed for frictionally engaging and retaining a sleeve placed over the units, the rollers of each unit having central hubs for the spindle and the shank respectively, the hubs of the first unit rotatably receiving said spindle and those of the second unit fixedly receiving said shank.
 6. The invention as claimed in claim 6, said shank being tubular and slidably receiving said spindle, said unobstructed stretch being on the exterior of said spindle.
 7. The invention as claimed in claim 7, the roller of the first unit which is nearest said end of the spindle having the opening in its hub enlarged with respect to said spindle a sufficient extent to shiftably accommodate said shank between said hub and the spindle.
 8. The invention as claimed in claim 1, said shank extending substantially beyond the rollers of the second unit for disposition within said first unit when said second unit is in the normal position thereof, said unobstructed stretch extending into said first unit at least to the point at which the extremity of said shank is located when said second unit is in said normal position.
 9. The invention as claimed in claim 9, said first unit being spaced inwardly from said free end of the spindle whereby said shank may be shifted from disposition within said first unit when the second unit is in its normal position to disposition outside of the first unit when the second unit is displaced out of said normal position. 